Save You Tonight

It was a dark, drizzling night in the streets of London. The purple hue of the sky, the blurred yellow street lamps, and the reflection of the colors of shop signs on the pavement gave the feeling of being within an impressionistic painting. Nights like these were the best for me. There was water everywhere.

I breathed out a sigh as I passed my favorite coffee shop, turning into the alleyway that was a shortcut to my flat. Knowing what was coming next, I tensed up, ready to use whatever means necessary to ward off my looming opponent. I could hear his slight wheeze even though I was technically too far away to hear it. I could smell the cigarette smoke and the soft thud as he dropped it to the dingy floor in order to stomp it out. He was now aware of my approach.

Although I should have been nervous, these visits from him were a regular thing ever since I had been relocated to London from my hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina a few years ago. I watched intently as he stepped out of the shadows and into the dim light. “Maya,” his deep, gravelly voice muttered.

“Nice to see you again, Cameron,” I greeted him, sarcasm dripping from tone.

Just like that, he was coming after me. He pinned me up against the nearest brick wall and took a swing at my face. Anticipating, I ducked and put my leg through his, hooking my calf to the back of his and pulling toward me, knocking his leg out from under him. Cameron, the 200 pound, six-foot-five CIA agent, fell to the ground of the alleyway. I used the few seconds I knew I had to sense for the nearest water source. With a smirk, I pulled the water from the floor of the alley and directed it toward the agent, watching his suit collect with unsanitary water. If I knew him well enough, it would be that he could not stand being dirty.

“Damn you to hell, you wretched git,” he spat, slowly standing up, “I just got this from the cleaner.”

“Maybe next time, you shouldn’t sneak up on a lady like that. It’s not polite,” I retorted with a smirk, watching him as he rolled his eyes.

“Lady, my ass.”

“What do you want? I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t just keep showing up like this. I have a life,” I sighed, exasperated by his presence every couple of months.

The buff agent stepped forward, getting close and articulating each word that came from his mouth. “You are a freak. A science experiment. What makes you think that we can let you just roam the streets without checking in on you?”

I felt my exuding confidence drop. Sure, I had the ability to do things that the average human couldn’t do, but I was still subject to emotion. Sometimes I was certain that along with enhanced strength, flexibility, and senses, I had enhanced feelings. I could beat up as many CIA agents they wanted to throw at me, but they knew my weak spot. They knew everything about me, maybe even more than I knew. I was just a science experiment, after all.

Cameron took this opportunity to take another step toward me, keeping me up against the wall. I was too tired to fight him. “No matter what you do, you’ll never be a normal person.”

Unfortunately, I was all too aware of this fact that he constantly reminded me of. I opened my mouth to reply, but I was cut off when could suddenly hear footsteps from the main road coming upon the entrance of the alley. As Cameron became impatient with my silence, he wound his bicep back, pointing his thick knuckles at my face. Hoping that the person would take notice, and just to piss Cameron off, I opened my mouth and let out a scream.

Much to my pleasure, that person walked into my life at the most appropriate time. He was a skinny looking fellow, clad in a ratty flannel shirt and baggy jeans. To say his hair was disheveled would be one of the largest understatements.

“Oi! What the hell ya think ya doin’?” the boy yelled, running down the alley toward Cameron. I knew the agent would be livid that a bystander was getting involved in such a petty ordeal; the two of us had been involved in much worse confrontations.

“Just back off, sir. We have this under control,” Cameron said through gritted teeth.

“It sure don’t look like it,” the boy said, now much closer and looking older than he looked when he was in the street. He turned to me, pausing to take in my appearance. “Is he bothering ya?”

“No, he’s just got me pinned against a wall in a dark alley late at night. No big deal,” I told him with a calm smile. His eyes widened for a split second. He was taken aback by my nonchalance. I loved this part of spectator interaction.

I watched as he just stared in silence, unsure of what action to take next. Then, much to my surprise, he reached for the buff agent’s coat sleeve and attempted to pull him away from me. Cameron, with a nearly imperceptible gesture, pushed at the slighter man and the poor boy stumbled back.

“Thanks for your help… uhh,” I began, breaking where I was going to say his name.

Despite being immensely embarrassed just seconds before, he offered up a title, “Harry. I’m Harry.”

“Thank you for your help, Harry. But I’ve got it from here,” I concluded, reveling in my ability to set Cameron into emotional turmoil. It gave me enough satisfaction to finish the job once Harry left the alley.

“Right. Well, I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any more service,” Harry said slowly, donning a look of complete and utter confusion as to what had just occurred. “Are you sure you don’t need my help?”

His resilience warmed my heart. As I nodded and jerked my head toward the direction he came from, I was almost disappointed to watch the adorable boy turn his back and trudge to the street. His one last look made me smile inwardly.

“Oh, now you’ve done it,” Cameron seethed once Harry was gone.

“Alright, let’s do this.”

Resuming with his wind-up for the right hook, Cameron threw a punch toward my face. It was his classic, unoriginal move. You’d think for a CIA agent, he’d have more of a repertoire than that. I ducked, hearing the sickening crunch of his knuckles meeting the bricks. I used my height to my advantage, squeezing myself between his legs and to the other side of him. Now behind the agent, I sent a kick to the center of his spine, pushing his entire body forward into the wall. With such force, he slid slowly down the wall and to his knees. I leaned down and wrapped an arm around his neck, cutting off his airway.

“Lay off the cigs, Cam. You’re losing your touch,” I sneered, pushing him down to the ground and adding a little kick to the shoulder for good measure. “Au revoir.”

I held my chin up and glided out of the alley, deciding to avoid what other agents might be lurking at the other end and take the long way home. As I rounded the corner of the building and stepping onto the main street, I bumped into a figure that was leaning up against the wall.

Harry stared down at me in awe. “How-how…?”

“Long story,” I said, not really feeling the need to share my secrets with this boy I hardly knew. Not that I ever shared my secrets… or got to know boys. After a few more awkward seconds of him stuttering, I cut him off. “Well, goodnight.”

I mentally abused myself for such a ridiculous farewell, but as I walked away, I found myself thinking about Harry the entire way back to my flat, through my nighttime routine, as I laid my head on my pillow, and just before I slipped into an unconscious state.